Tag Archives: woodstock

Back in 1969, at the tender young age of 16, I was about to first experience the otherworldly sounds of a British rock group known as Pink Floyd. It was the age of Woodstock, and I had moved with my parents from the sweltering big city of Houston to the pastoral charms of rural Arkansas. ►

They came by car, truck, van, bus, motorcycle, bicycle, on foot, and anyway they could, to attend Woodstock. The little hamlet of Bethel, N.Y., swelled from a population of 3,900 to more than 500,000 for that one weekend in August 1969. ►

by Chris M. Junior — In terms of artistic achievements and commercial success, 1969 was a very good year for Creedence Clearwater Revival. The band released three studio albums, scored seven Billboard Hot 100 chart entries and made multiple TV and rock festival appearances — all told, more than most bands achieve in an entire career. ►

Woodstock was a nightmare for The Grateful Dead. Though Woodstock was not an easy gig for anybody, The Grateful Dead experienced more than their fair share of problems, with dangerous technical problems, a deluge of rain and a stage that seemed on the brink of giving way throughout their show. With this year marking the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, Goldmine asked a number of artists who were there to share their memories of those three days.►

Sunday’s lineup was again packed with rockers: The Band, Joe Cocker, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Ten Years After, Johnny Winter, and Jimi Hendrix. Attendance estimates kept rising, and the state police figure was 450,000, while others rounded it off to an even half-million.►

Saturday morning dawned soggy and gray, and Michael Launder, 17, from Albion, New York, and his friend, Billy, hitched a ride on the trunk of a car covered in people. “There were about eight guys inside and another five or six sitting on the hood and trunk, so we just jumped on,” says Launder. “When we finally reached the festival, it was very surprising to see the state troopers with their ‘Smokey’ hats off, hanging with the rest of us.”►

Instead of focusing on the performers and their recollections, authors Brad Littleproud and Joanne Hague chose to tell the story of Woodstock as told by the people who were in the crowd or stuck on the road going to Woodstock — though commentary from acts like Ten Years After, Richie Havens, Santana and others is offered, as well. And that’s what sets its apart from the rest.►

“We’re going camping!” That’s what Tommy Hayes, 16, of Saddle Brook, New Jersey, told his parents, but he didn’t tell them exactly where because he wasn’t sure if they would have approved. He hitched a ride with some older friends, and his Woodstock adventure had begun. ►